Fox News Suspends Gingrich, Santorum

Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum, preparing to run for the White House in 2012, have been suspended as paid commentators on Fox News.

“The suspension is effective for 60 days, then on May 1, their contracts will be terminated, unless they notify Fox they are not running for president,” Fox News host Bret Baier announced on the air Wednesday.

Paying Messrs. Gingrich and Santorum as commentators while covering their presidential campaigns would present a conflict-of-interest for the cable network. Their suspensions raise questions about two other Fox News commentators whose names are often mentioned in the 2012 mix – former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. Both are mentioned as possible candidates, but neither has committed to running.

Mr. Gingrich, the former House speaker, is expected to announce his intent to form a presidential exploratory committee on Thursday during a press conference in Georgia. A more formal announcement is expected shortly afterward.

Mr. Santorum, a former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania, said in a statement that he shares Fox’s “commitment to ensure news organizations provide balanced coverage of the issues of the day. I intend to use the months ahead to continue my evaluation of a potential presidential run, and I will make an announcement on my final decision sometime in the coming months.”

Mr. Baier told viewers Wednesday that the cable network has been discussing the possibility of suspensions for both ever since the two men were mentioned as contenders for the Republican presidential nomination. “This had been contemplated from the start, from the very beginning,” Mr. Baier said.

Mr. Huckabee and Ms. Palin are often mentioned as candidates, but both have been publicly ambivalent and don’t appear to be as far along in their planning as Messrs. Gingrich and Santorum. Mr. Huckabee, who hosts a weekend show for the cable channel, has said he likely won’t make a decision until the end of the summer. In the interim, he wants to keep his job with Fox for as long as possible, the former Arkansas governor told reporters in Washington last week while he was in town to promote his new book, “A Simple Government.”

Gingrich spokesman Rick Tyler confirmed Fox informed them of the suspension. Fox News referred to Mr. Baier’s statement and an article in the Los Angeles Times.

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